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Abuse, Secrecy and Deception at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, MNThu, 26 Feb 2015 00:49:14 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Remember Rev. David Cawkwell?http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/remember-rev-david-cawkwell/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=remember-rev-david-cawkwell
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/remember-rev-david-cawkwell/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 00:34:25 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8958Continue reading →]]>Please contact me if you remember Rev. David Peter-John Cawkwell, priest and author, who spent some time at St. John’s in the early and mid-1990s. Before St. John’s, Father David Cawkwell was at parishes in Redwood Falls, Hutchinson and Silver Lake, Minnesota.

Thank you.

Pat Marker
360-421-5849

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/remember-rev-david-cawkwell/feed/0Archdiocese list includes St. John’s Abbey monkshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/archdiocese-list-includes-st-johns-abbey-monks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=archdiocese-list-includes-st-johns-abbey-monks
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/archdiocese-list-includes-st-johns-abbey-monks/#commentsSun, 15 Feb 2015 16:39:06 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8953Continue reading →]]>(SC Times) One name added to that list this week is Michael Bik, a former monk from St. John’s Abbey. Bik’s name appeared previously on a list of abbey monks with substantiated allegations of abuse against them. Bik was permanently removed from ministry in 2002. Other abbey monks on the archdiocese list include Fran Hoefgen, Cosmas Dahlheimer, Thomas Gillespie and Brennan Maiers.

Archdiocese list includes St. John’s Abbey monks
February 15, 2015
St. Cloud Times

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/archdiocese-list-includes-st-johns-abbey-monks/feed/0(SC Times) St. John’s should release all Backous fileshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-should-release-all-backous-files/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=st-johns-should-release-all-backous-files
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-should-release-all-backous-files/#commentsThu, 12 Feb 2015 16:30:57 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8951Continue reading →]]>The St. Cloud Times reported June 11 that the ex-headmaster of St. John’s Preparatory School was accused of sexual abuse. “The allegations of inappropriate contact by the Rev. Timothy Backous surfaced in a letter sent May 31 by Chris and Kathy McDermid, who live in St. Cloud and whose son was in the choir when it made a trip to Europe in 1990, to Archbishop John Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The letter was copied to (St. John’s Abbot John) Klassen and St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler.” – Anne Clark (CSB Graduate)

St. John’s should release all Backous files
St. Cloud Times
February 12, 2015

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-should-release-all-backous-files/feed/0St. John’s Prep principal charged with DWIhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-prep-principal-charged-with-dwi/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=st-johns-prep-principal-charged-with-dwi
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-prep-principal-charged-with-dwi/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 19:47:41 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8948(SC Times) The principal of St. John’s Preparatory School has been charged with drunken driving in connection with his November arrest, the Stearns County Attorney’s Office said Monday.

In 2011, one of Father Tom Andert’s victims referred to the “horrible culture of hypocrisy” at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville. During several conversations, including his visit to Minnesota after Andert’s appointment in 2007, I heard his pain. Last month, that victim committed suicide.

I believe that Wednesday’s Catholic School’s Week event at Saint John’s Abbey feeds into that horrible culture of hypocrisy.

I challenge you to immediately ask Abbot John Klassen about the allegations made against not only Tom Andert, but each man on the attached PDF list. Then ask the abbot which of those allegations he has chosen to not make public. In the past, the abbot has shared that 25 members have been credibly accused. Due to limited space, the attached list shows the faces of only fourteen.

Please also ask Abbot Klassen how [he] is able to continue to rationalize the appointment of Father Tom Andert as prior, given Father Andert’s known offenses.

That anyone would knowingly lead 2200 children into an environment where sexual abuse of children remains covered up is morally reprehensible.

If you are not willing to cancel Wednesday’s event, I respectfully request that you make the attachment available to the 2200 students, their parents and all chaperones who will be visiting Collegeville. Each man listed has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct. In every case, the alleged misconduct involved a minor or vulnerable student.

Please confirm by Tuesday at noon whether the event will be cancelled, the flyer will be distributed or you intend to put members of your flock at risk.

I look forward to your response and will be available should you have any questions.

Patrick J Marker

ATTACHMENT [ View ]

Color Photos and Names for:

Father Tom Andert
Father Dunstan Moorse
Father Francisco Schulte
Father Finian McDonald
Father Allen Tarlton
Father Michael Bik
Father Isaac Connolly
Father Tom Gillespie
Father Brennan Maiers
Brother Jim Phillips
Father Mel Taylor
Father Timothy Backous
Father Dan Ward
Father Chrysostom Kim

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/letter-to-kettler-warning-to-area-students/feed/02200 Local Students To Attend Mass in Collegevillehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/2200-local-students-to-attend-mass-in-collegeville/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2200-local-students-to-attend-mass-in-collegeville
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/2200-local-students-to-attend-mass-in-collegeville/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 19:21:45 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8933Continue reading →]]>Saint John’s Prep is hosting 2,200 students from area Catholic schools on Wednesday, January 28 at noon in the Abbey Church. Bishop Donald Kettler and Abbot John Klassen, OSB will celebrate the mass with pastors from local parishes. We appreciate your hospitality as we welcome our young guests to campus and apologize for any inconvenience or traffic issues it may cause. The students and buses should be off campus by 2:00 p.m.
]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/2200-local-students-to-attend-mass-in-collegeville/feed/0Protected: Webmaster’s Warning to Mike Granthttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/webmasters-email-to-mike-grant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=webmasters-email-to-mike-grant
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/webmasters-email-to-mike-grant/#commentsFri, 26 Dec 2014 20:25:38 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=6749

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Police say Thomas Matthew Reichert was arrested in Luxemburg Township after taking a field sobriety test. Police responded to the scene late Wednesday after they say Reichert called 911 to report he had wrecked his vehicle.

Reichert [ Prep Profile ] was reportedly heading home following a Prep School faculty social at Partners Pub in Sartell.

How will the school handle the matter? The school’s handbook is clear with regard to students, but not faculty. According to the Prep handbook, a student who violates the school’s substance policy “in an egregious manner in frequency or severity … may be suspended or dismissed.”

The real question is… how will Abbot John Klassen, head of the Prep School [ View] , handle the matter?

If handled in the same way Klassen has handled other matters involving alcohol and other misconduct, Reichert could be up for a promotion.

Reichert is the second current Prep School administrator who has had public issues with alcohol. Three recent Prep School headmasters have been accused of other misconduct.

Father Jonathan Licari, OSB

Despite past, credible allegations of alcohol abuse and inappropriate conduct with a minor [ View ], Father Jonathan Licari, OSB was named Prep School Headmaster in April of 2013. In October of 2013, Licari was also exposed for his role in the coverup of abuse by Father Dominic Keller [ View ]. Father Licari is still headmaster and is Reichert’s boss.

Father Timothy “Timo” Backous, OSB

In June of 2014, a newspaper [ View ] reported allegations of misconduct by Father Timothy “Timo” Backous, OSB. Father Backous stepped down from his role as Prep School Headmaster in 2013. After the news article appeared, another witness to misconduct (involving a different child) Backous came forward. The results of the investigation into misconduct by Father Backous, like other Abbey members [ View ], have yet to be released.

Father Tom Andert, OSB

Former Prep School Headmaster Father Tom Andert, OSB was publicly accused of misconduct in 2007 [ View ]. Father Andert’s love letters to that same Prep School student were made public in 2010 [ View ]. According to the abbey’s web site [ View ], Father Tom Andert is prior (second in command under Abbot John Klassen) at Saint John’s Abbey, a position he has held since 2007.

Abbot John Klassen Must Decide

Following allegations of misconduct, Abbot John Klassen promoted both Father Andert and Father Licari — and has publicly stood behind Father Backous [ View ], who maintained his very visible presence at Johnnie football games this season.

It will be interesting to see how Abbot Klassen handles the Reichert matter.

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]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/sketches/feed/0Confrontation to conciliation: Deal shifts clergy abuse legal tacticshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/confrontation-to-conciliation-deal-shifts-clergy-abuse-legal-tactics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=confrontation-to-conciliation-deal-shifts-clergy-abuse-legal-tactics
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/confrontation-to-conciliation-deal-shifts-clergy-abuse-legal-tactics/#commentsTue, 14 Oct 2014 17:57:26 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8887Continue reading →]]>Anderson said the agreement will require ongoing public disclosure about abuse cases and that the agreement is more extensive than a 2002 deal reached with St. John’s Abbey about its handling of clergy abuse claims. The Collegeville, Minnesota, abbey agreed to keep abusive monks away from children and pay for therapy for some victims. It also said a review board would investigate abuse complaints. The board included abuse victims and people with law enforcement and mental health experience. Anderson hailed that deal as historic and ground-breaking and also appeared with Abbot John Klassen and victims at a joint news conference, a situation similar to the one planned for this afternoon. (Anderson now says the abbey violated the terms of the agreement, a charge the abbey has denied.)

Confrontation to conciliation: Deal shifts clergy abuse legal tactics

Attorney Jeff Anderson, who for 30 years sued Catholic dioceses over clergy sex abuse, said Monday he was joining forces with the leaders of the Twin Cities archdiocese.

“We’ve forged a new way,” Anderson said as he and Minnesota church leaders announced what they called a historic deal to protect children, the result of settling a landmark public nuisance lawsuit against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona.

Much of the agreement, however, describes policies already in place.

That was confirmed by the Winona diocese, which said the settlement “reaffirms” its current child protection policies, and by Archdiocese Vicar General Charles Lachowitzer, who described the agreement as “the announcement of actions already taken and the steps we will follow on a path of healing and reconciliation, restitution.”

An MPR News investigation last year found church officials had ignored their own policies for decades.

Anderson on Monday said he would make sure the church complied with the new agreement, though he added that no plans exist for any independent monitoring.

His praise for church officials, during an emotional press conference packed with abuse survivors and their families, marked an abrupt turn in the decades-long battle to reveal how Catholic leaders protected priests who sexually assaulted children.

Two of those plaintiffs, John and Al Vogel, became victims in the early 1970’s, and were part of a lawsuit that was settled in 2002. At the time their attorney, Jeff Anderson, and their father, Raymond, celebrated the settlement.

“It helps me a great deal, the factor, the safety for the children,” Raymond Vogel told KARE in 2002. Vogel, who has since died, worked at St. John’s Abbey for 40 years and knew the priests his son’s accused.

But 12 years later John and Al Vogel were once again standing before the camera in the St. Paul law offices of Attorney Jeff Anderson, saying St. John’s and the Diocese weren’t taking all the steps necessary to reign in credibly accused violators.

“The deceit continues. Promises continue to be broken,” John Vogel, who now lives in Texas, told reporters.”

Al said promises were made in the 2002 settlement weren’t being taken seriously the Abbey and the Diocese.

“They told us they were going to take care of the family and do what’s right. That has not happened at all,” Al Vogel asserted.

The priests who abused the Vogel brothers. Richard Eckroth and Cosmas Dahlheimer are no longer threats to anyone.

Father Richard Eckroth has advanced dementia and is in a nursing home, according to a spokesperson for St.John’s Abbey. Father Cosmas Dahlheimer is now dead.

But Anderson’s public nuisance lawsuit claims that other credibly accused clergy need to be on a shorter leash. He gave the example of Father James Thoennes, who is on the Diocese’ list of credibly accused priests and works part-time for the Diocese.

In a Sept. 9 deposition, taken as part of a different sexual abuse case, Thoennes said he must get permission from the Diocese if he leaves the St.Cloud metro area, but he can travel freely inside the area without seeking permission from superiors.

“I can go to St. Joe and St. Johns,” he said during excerpt of the videotaped deposition shared with reporters at Anderson’s press conference.

Anderson’s legal team contends that statement runs counter to reassurances offered by St, Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler, during an taped interview with the Saint Cloud Times editorial board earlier this year.

“We constantly taking care in observing that he follows all of these, that he’s not in contact with any, any young people,” Kettler said to the newspaper’s board.

Mike Bryant, the attorney who conducted the Thoennes’ deposition, said that’s too long of a leash for someone who admitted improper sexual contact with minors during the same deposition.

“As you saw he can go to St. Cloud, he can go to the City of Saint John, he can go to Saint Joseph; there’s kids in those places!” Bryant said.

The Diocese of St. Cloud issued said that Thoennes meets quarterly with a review panel that reviews his activities and readjusts his restrictions when necessary.

“Thoennes does not have faculties to serve publicly as a priest and currently lives in St. Cloud under restrictions,” the statement from the Diocese read.

“He is not allowed to have contact with minors unless another adult is present. He must receive permission to travel outside the immediate St. Cloud area.”

The statement went on to say Bishop Kettler is committed to transparency and bringing healing to victims of clergy abuse.

The Abbey issued statement, which read, in part, “It is especially dismaying that today’s news conference was promoted with the claim that these incidents are evidence of a ‘clear and present danger.’ That claim is absurd and represents fear-mongering at its worst.”

Sgt. Dan J. Winkels: On 2-2-12, I was requested by Capt. Jensen to refer this case file to the Stearns County’s Attorney office for review and consideration of criminal charges. I have completed a letter of transmittal and offender tracking report in reference to John Richard Benson, DOB [birthdate redacted], who has a local address of Mary Hall, Room 321, St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN and will be referring this case file to the Stearns County Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of criminal charges including terroristic threats in violation of MSS 609.713 subd 2. A copy of the offender tracking report and letter of transmittal are attached and made part of this report. I have also included a criminal history check which identifies no identifiable records.

I briefly spoke with Benson who indicated that he did write the Facebook post and indicated that he wrote this in response to the opinion posted by Marker in the St. Cloud Times. He identified John Gagliardi as his grandfather and stated the article had upset him. He initially indicated that it was a threat, but during the formal statement indicated that it was not a threat.” – Stearns County Sheriff’s Report (May 9, 2014)

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/sju-qbs-threat-case-referred-to-scao-in-2012/feed/0New suits seek information on abusive priests in St. Cloud areahttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/new-suits-seek-information-on-abusive-priests-in-st-cloud-area/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-suits-seek-information-on-abusive-priests-in-st-cloud-area
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/new-suits-seek-information-on-abusive-priests-in-st-cloud-area/#commentsFri, 19 Sep 2014 15:03:34 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8858Continue reading →]]>(MPR) St. John’s did not name the other five at that time, and it is not clear if they are among the names on the list released in December. St. John’s officials have declined to explain the discrepancy.

New suits seek information on abusive priests in St. Cloud area

Seeking to force St. John’s Abbey and the Diocese of St. Cloud to disclose information on priests and brothers accused of sexually assaulting children, attorney Jeff Anderson today filed suit against the two institutions.

The lawsuits, filed in Stearns County District Court, rely on the same legal strategy Anderson used in a landmark lawsuit against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona. Anderson’s efforts in that case led a judge to order church officials to release a list of “credibly accused” priests and thousands of internal documents from clergy files.

Anderson’s latest suits accuse St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville and the Diocese of St. Cloud of creating a public nuisance by not releasing the names and files of all abusers. Anderson said their decision to withhold information continues to put children at risk.

In a statement, St. John’s Abbey officials dismissed Anderson’s claim as “absurd,” saying it “represents fear-mongering at its worst.”

However, those same officials are aggressively trying to keep some information secret. In another clergy sex abuse suit filed by Anderson against St. John’s Abbey, church lawyers on Wednesday notified the attorney that they plan to ask a judge to seal the files on individual monks so that they cannot be released to the public. ​

In a statement, Diocese of St. Cloud officials said they “have not yet had an opportunity to review the complains and cannot comment on the specifics of the case.”

One of the lawsuits Anderson filed today accuses the Rev. William Eckroth of St. John’s Abbey of sexually assaulting John Vogel in about 1971 or 1972 when he was about 7 or 8 years old. The suit also accuses the Rev. Cosmas Dahlheimer of St. John’s Abbey of sexually assaulting John’s brother, Allen Vogel, from about 1971 to 1974, when he was about 5 to 8 years old.

Both clerics befriended the boys while on assignment at St. Augustine Church in the Diocese of St. Cloud, according to the lawsuit.

It asks the court to order St. John’s Abbey and the Diocese of St. Cloud to “publicly release the names and documents on all clerics credibly accused of child molestation, which includes each such cleric’s history of abuse, each such cleric’s pattern of grooming and sexual behavior, and his last known address.”

The Vogels entered into a settlement with St. John’s Abbey several years earlier, but they claim the abbey has broken promises made in that settlement to provide therapy to victims and protect the public from abusers.

At a news conference at Anderson’s St. Paul office, John Vogel, dressed in a black suit and shaking as he spoke, described how St. John’s Abbot John Klassen had promised his parents that he would disclose information on abusers and would not let offenders have access to children. Vogel said the abbey betrayed his family by failing to release a complete list of abusers.

“In my view, all kids are at risk as we speak,” John Vogel said. “The deceit continues.”

In their statement, St. John’s Abbey officials said they have “been conscientious and transparent in voluntarily disclosing the names of monks who may have offended, including previous disclosures of the names of the two priests cited in today’s lawsuits.”

The statement noted that Dahlheimer is dead and Eckroth “suffers from severe dementia and is confined to the Abbey’s supervised nursing care facility.”

In July 2002, abbey spokesman William Skudlarek told MPR News that Dahlheimer was living under restriction at St. John’s Abbey due to allegations he sexually abused four boys in St. Cloud and St. Paul. Dahlheimer died two years later.

Anderson also filed a lawsuit against St. John’s Abbey and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on behalf of an unnamed man who claims Dahlheimer sexually abused him when the priest served at St. Bernard Church in St. Paul. Dahlheimer abused the boy from about 1976 to 1978 when he was about 11 to 13 years old, according to the lawsuit.

The third lawsuit, filed by Anderson against St. John’s Abbey and Eckroth, is on behalf of a man who claims Eckroth sexually assaulted him at a vacation cabin in 1970 or 1971, when he was 9 or 10 years old.

Dispute over lists

At issue in all three cases is whether St. John’s Abbey has disclosed its entire list of priests believed to have sexually abused children.

On Dec. 9, 2013, St. John’s Abbey released the names of 18 current and former monks who abbey officials said “likely have offended against minors.” The list included Dahlheimer and Eckroth.

The voluntary disclosure came four days after the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a similar list under court order.

The abbey’s list included the names of nine monks living at St. John’s Abbey under what abbey officials then called “supervised safety plans.” Seven monks on the list are dead and two are no longer monks, according to the abbey.

“This list reflects our best efforts to identify those who likely have offended against minors,” an abbey spokesman said in a statement released in December.

Patrick Marker, an outspoken critic of the abbey’s handling of abuse cases, noted in December that 15 of the 18 names on the list had already been made public more than two years ago.

A decade ago, Marker settled a lawsuit against St. John’s Abbey for alleged sexual abuse by the Rev. Dunstan Moorse in 1983 while he was student at St. John’s Preparatory School. Marker later served on the abbey’s external review board before resigning.

For years, he has tracked the abbey’s public statements on clergy sex abuse.

Marker said that the abbey removed its 2011 list from its website in 2012 and replaced it with a statement saying that abbey officials at that point knew of 23 clerics with credible abuse accusations against them.

St. John’s did not name the other five at that time, and it is not clear if they are among the names on the list released in December. St. John’s officials have declined to explain the discrepancy.

In January, the Diocese of St. Cloud released a list of 33 priests church officials said “were likely involved in the sexual absue of minors.”

Of those priests, 21 are dead, and none of the remaining 12 are still serving in ministry, according to the diocese.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/new-suits-seek-information-on-abusive-priests-in-st-cloud-area/feed/0St. Paul, Collegeville priests sex abuse alleged in new lawsuitshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-paul-collegeville-priests-sex-abuse-alleged-in-new-lawsuits/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=st-paul-collegeville-priests-sex-abuse-alleged-in-new-lawsuits
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-paul-collegeville-priests-sex-abuse-alleged-in-new-lawsuits/#commentsFri, 19 Sep 2014 03:17:31 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8861Continue reading →]]>(Pioneer Press) St. John’s Abbey and two clerics — one who worked at the Church of St. Bernard in St. Paul — were sued Thursday by men claiming they suffered sexual abuse as children.

Attorney Jeff Anderson said at a news conference that the abbey in Collegeville, Minn., and the Diocese of St. Cloud made promises to two of those men 12 years ago: All abusive clergy would be taken out of ministry and closely restricted, and new policies would be put into place. But those promises were broken, Anderson said.

John and Allen Vogel filed suit in Stearns County on Thursday against the Diocese of St. Cloud, St. Augustine’s Parish and the abbey. Anderson represents them.

John Vogel, 50, of Texas claims he was abused as a child in the early 1970s by monk Richard Eckroth. His brother, Al Vogel, 48, who lives in central Minnesota, said his abuse came at the hands of the Rev. Cosmas Dahlheimer in the 1970s. Al Vogel was between 5 and 8 years old when the abuse occurred, he said. John Vogel was 7 or 8 years old when molested, he said.

Two other suits were filed this week: A man listed as John Doe 40 sued the abbey and Eckroth. Another man, John Doe 39, alleged abuse by Dahlheimer at the Church of St. Bernard in St. Paul.

Eckroth, 88, who was a philosophy professor at St. John’s University and Seminary, lives at the abbey. Dahlheimer died in 2004.

The Vogels’ parents both worked for decades at St. John’s and trusted the priests wholeheartedly, they said.

Both men claimed negligence and public nuisance.

Current Bishop Donald Kettler and Abbot John Klassen of St. John’s Abbey told the St. Cloud Times editorial board in January that priests identified as abusers were being kept away from children.

“We have one priest (in St. Cloud) who has been removed from ministry completely,” Kettler told the newspaper, as seen in a video clip played by Anderson. “We are constantly taking care and observing that he … is not in any contact with any young people.”

A separate lawsuit claiming public nuisance involving a priest is before a judge in Ramsey County District Court. It has disgorged thousands of documents from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Anderson said he hopes the claim will result in the same disclosure from the Diocese of St. Cloud and St. John’s Abbey.

John Doe 39, who alleged abuse by Dahlheimer, spoke to the Pioneer Press on Thursday. He said Dahlheimer molested him frequently when he was a young altar boy in mid- to late 1970s. The priest would wait until he and the boy were alone in the sacristy before or after Mass, the man said. He never told anyone until high school, when a fellow St. Bernard’s School student said he had heard about Dahlheimer.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is named as a defendant in the John Doe 39 lawsuit, as is the abbey. Dahlheimer was a monk and a priest.

Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the archdiocese acknowledged in a statement Thursday that Dahlheimer has been accused in the Twin Cities and the Diocese of St. Cloud of abusing minors. The abbey placed restrictions on him in 2002, Cozzens said. The archdiocese posted his assignment details on its website in December 2013.

The abbey disputed the lawsuits’ claims in a statement on its website.

“One lawsuit is an attempt to create new claims from incidents that the Abbey resolved with claimants a dozen or more years ago,” the abbey said, referring to the Vogels’ suit. “The other lawsuits (one naming Dahlheimer, the other Eckroth) echo doubtful allegations dating back to the 1970s. The Abbey has not had any opportunity to investigate or even confer with these new claimants.”

It said Eckroth suffers from “severe dementia and is confined to the Abbey’s supervised nursing care facility.”

The abbey said it has been “conscientious and transparent in voluntarily disclosing the names of monks who may have offended, including previous disclosure of the names of the two priests cited in today’s lawsuits …. There is no substantiated incident of abuse of a minor by a member of St. John’s Abbey in more than two decades.”

The priest Kettler spoke of to the newspaper is the Rev. James Thoennes, Anderson said.

Anderson’s co-counsel, Mike Bryant, deposed Thoennes on Sept. 9 for another lawsuit. He asked the priest if his movements were restricted in any way.

Thoennes testified that he had to get permission to “leave the perimeter of St. Cloud.” Otherwise, he was free to do as he pleased.

The Diocese of St. Cloud confirmed that Thoennes was restricted to “the immediate St. Cloud area.” A statement on its website said he is not allowed contact with minors unless another adult is present, must meet quarterly with a monitoring committee, meet monthly with a counselor and keep a daily activity log “that is reviewed regularly.”

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-paul-collegeville-priests-sex-abuse-alleged-in-new-lawsuits/feed/0Victim sues Abbey, Diocese for its handling of abuse allegationshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/sc-times-victim-sues-abbey-diocese-for-its-handling-of-abuse-allegations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sc-times-victim-sues-abbey-diocese-for-its-handling-of-abuse-allegations
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/sc-times-victim-sues-abbey-diocese-for-its-handling-of-abuse-allegations/#commentsThu, 18 Sep 2014 20:47:11 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8856Continue reading →]]>(SC Times) ST. PAUL – A lawsuit filed Thursday in Stearns County District Court accuses St. John’s Abbey and the Diocese of St. Cloud of creating a public nuisance with their handling of clergy sex abuse allegations against their priests and monks.

The lawsuit, announced at a press conference by attorney Jeff Anderson, accuses the diocese of lying about how it supervises a priest who abused children and references statements that Bishop Donald Kettler made to the St. Cloud Times Editorial Board.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/sc-times-victim-sues-abbey-diocese-for-its-handling-of-abuse-allegations/feed/0Former priest pleads not guilty to abusing Hastings altar boyhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-priest-pleads-not-guilty-to-abusing-hastings-altar-boy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=former-priest-pleads-not-guilty-to-abusing-hastings-altar-boy
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-priest-pleads-not-guilty-to-abusing-hastings-altar-boy/#commentsFri, 05 Sep 2014 16:09:59 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8850Continue reading →]]>A priest accused of repeatedly raping a Hastings altar boy in the late 1980s and early ’90s pleaded not guilty in a Dakota County courtroom Friday.

Francis Hoefgen, 64, who has left the priesthood and now lives in Columbia Heights, wore street clothes and appeared subdued during the court appearance. He waived his right to a speedy trial.

Dakota County District Court Judge Thomas Pugh set a trial date of May 18 and granted Hoefgen permission to take an out-of-state trip at the end of the month.

Hoefgen was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the criminal complaint, Hoefgen abused the 10-year-old boy repeatedly at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Hastings between 1989 and 1992.

Hoefgen, formerly a monk at St. John’s Abbey, also has been sued under the 2013 Minnesota Child Victims Act, which opened a three-year window for the filing of civil lawsuits for decades-old child sex abuse claims.

Dozens of civil lawsuits against priests and the Catholic church have been filed since then, and observers have predicted more criminal cases as well.

The civil suit against Hoefgen also names the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Order of St. Benedict (also known as St. John’s Abbey) and a Maryland treatment center called St. Luke Institute, where Hoefgen was sent for six months to receive psychological treatment in 1984.

According to the lawsuit filed by St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson, Hoefgen admitted to police that he had sexually abused another minor in Stearns County in 1983.

Filings in Ramsey County

Meanwhile, hundreds of pages of church files were released Friday in connection with a high-profile clergy abuse lawsuit making its way through Ramsey District Court that claims the church created a public nuisance by transferring abusive priests.

The files document the history of the Rev. Richard Jeub, one of 34 “credibly accused” priests whose names were made public by the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis last year.

He served in eight Twin Cities parishes from 1966 to 2002, and exemplifies how the church moved priests who got in sexual trouble, said Patrick Wall, an investigator at the Anderson law firm.

The documents show that as early as 1969, a priest found Jeub, assistant pastor at Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina, on a bed with a young woman. Jeub was transferred to St. Mark’s Church in St. Paul, where documents said he had an exploitive relationship with a woman from 1972 to 1980. Jeub moved to Christ the King Church in Minneapolis in 1976, and two years later was transferred to hospital ministries. By 1981, he was pastor at St. Kevin’s Church in Minneapolis.

By 1988, Jeub had admitted to being sexually involved with nearly a dozen women while a priest. He was sued for sexual misconduct with a teenage girl, and reached an out-of-court settlement.

After that he was transferred to Sacred Heart Church in Robbinsdale in 1996, to St. John the Evangelist in 1997, and St. Rose of Lima Church in Roseville in 2000. He resigned from St. Rose after a newspaper article revealed his past, but was allowed to work in a Duluth parish through 2010.

“The question remains, what has the archdiocese done, and the Diocese of Duluth done, as far [as] monitoring Richard and his dangerous proclivities?” Wall said. “Is he anywhere near kids?”

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-priest-pleads-not-guilty-to-abusing-hastings-altar-boy/feed/0Jim Harbaugh and (Alleged) Perp Priest Backoushttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/jim-harbaugh-and-alleged-perp-priest-backous/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jim-harbaugh-and-alleged-perp-priest-backous
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/jim-harbaugh-and-alleged-perp-priest-backous/#commentsTue, 02 Sep 2014 08:15:02 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8840Continue reading →]]>The results of concurrent investigations by his former employer, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Saint John’s Abbey have yet to be released, but that hasn’t stopped accused monk/priest Timothy Backous from updating his Facebook page to include a photo of himself and San Francisco 49er’s coach Jim Harbaugh. [ Link ]

Speaking of Harbaugh in 2013, player Donte Whitner said, “He said that we can do anything in the world and we can come and talk to him and he’ll forgive us except put our hands on women.” [ Link ]

One has to believe that Harbaugh would also include young boys in his exception list.

The 49er’s have been contacted for comment.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/jim-harbaugh-and-alleged-perp-priest-backous/feed/0Father Tupa’s Web Site Gone, Porn Store Removedhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/father-tupas-web-site-gone-porn-store-removed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=father-tupas-web-site-gone-porn-store-removed
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/father-tupas-web-site-gone-porn-store-removed/#commentsTue, 02 Sep 2014 07:53:15 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8837Continue reading →]]>Father Jerome Tupa – a priest from Saint John’s Abbey and the subject of a December 12, 2012 letter [ View ] to Father Bob Rolfes at the Diocese of Saint Cloud – no longer has a web site at jerometupa.com and he no longer sells his art/pornography at https://eelement.appolis.com/jerometupa/. In addition to serving as pastor at Saint Joseph Parish in St. Joseph, Minnesota, where he acts as confessor and spiritual counselor to hundreds, Father Tupa currently sits on the board of All Saints Academy [ View ] with schools in St. Joseph and Waite Park, Minnesota.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/father-tupas-web-site-gone-porn-store-removed/feed/0Regarding The Hunt, Sanner and Wetterlinghttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-the-hunt-sanner-and-wetterling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=regarding-the-hunt-sanner-and-wetterling
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-the-hunt-sanner-and-wetterling/#commentsMon, 01 Sep 2014 08:05:43 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8817Continue reading →]]>Patty Wetterling and Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner were featured on CNN’s “The Hunt” on Sunday evening. The show, hosted by John Walsh, featured the Jacob Wetterling story. [ Link ]

A few minutes into the program, and the first time we hear her voice, Patty Wetterling asks, “What was going on… in this region? What was going on, and it was so deeply and intensely harmful… to boys?”

A perfect question.

There are certainly some similarities between the Paynesville cases examined on “The Hunt” and Jared’s and Jacob’s case. Joy Baker (with the help of many people behind the scenes) has done a fantastic job in bringing some information to light [ View ].

As for what was going on in the region…

By 1989, over 200 incidents of misconduct had been perpetrated by monks from nearby Saint John’s Abbey. While the abbey has admitted to at least two dozen perpetrators, the number much higher [ View ]. The earliest publicly reported abuse occurred in the 1930s and between 1955 and 2003, the monks preyed on students without consequence.

Much of the abuse occurred in St. Joseph. Much of the abuse was perpetrated by clergy stationed in St. Joseph [ View ]. In an effort to protect his monastic brothers, the current priest in St. Joseph, Father Jerome Tupa, a noted artist and part-time pornographer [ View and View ], has bullied [ View ] and lied to his parishioners [ View]. Tupa is the most current of a long line of priests from Saint John’s who have failed to serve the best interests of the families in Saint Joseph [ View ].

The CNN program failed to mention the documented history and high concentration of pedophiles living minutes away at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville. When looking at the “region” this angle must be explored… if not for suspects, then for the role that the institution had in creating a county-wide hotbed for acts of sexual abuse and other deviant behavior without consequence, aided by a law enforcement community which has protected the Abbey for far too long.

Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner was interviewed in his office. He had time to clean and organize his office in order to make it camera ready. No family photos. Just a couple of plants, a small trophy and a Saint John’s University football helmet, autographed by legendary coach John Gagliardi who, by his own admission, knew of abuse at Saint John’s for several decades. [ View ]

According to Sanner’s LinkedIn profile, he graduated from Saint John’s University in 1984. From 1980 to 1984, at least 27 individuals were victimized by members of the Saint John’s Abbey community.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-the-hunt-sanner-and-wetterling/feed/0Backous Out, Licari In, as Trustee at Woodsidehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-out-licari-in-as-trustee/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=backous-out-licari-in-as-trustee
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-out-licari-in-as-trustee/#commentsTue, 05 Aug 2014 22:27:55 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8806Continue reading →]]>According to documents from the Woodside Priory web site, Father Timothy Backous is no longer a trustee at the Portola Valley, CA, school for students in grade six through twelve.

Father Timothy “Timo” Backous was listed as a trustee from 2011 until the end of the 2014 school year. Father Jonathan Licari is currently listed as a trustee for the 2014-2015 school year.

Both monk/priests from Saint John’s Abbey have been accused of misconduct.

In 2003, Father Jonathan Licari was removed from the Abbey’s External Review Board following an allegation of misconduct, after which Licari reportedly had an evaluation and went to therapy. [ View ]

Father Timothy Backous is currently under investigation for sexual abuse in the early 1990s. [ View ]

Copies of the Woodside Priory documents as available upon request… Here

Moral theology is a constantly changing landscape of serious reflection on how to live rightly, whether as an individual or as a society. New fields unheard of twenty years ago develop, and new voices add theirs to forebears in the tradition. This book is a thorough revision of the editors original, taking into account such phenomena as the emerging field of virtue ethics, the impact of science and technology on sexual and bioethics, and the increasing importance of such issues as environmental concern to social justice. College professors will find this the go-to anthology for a wide selection of primary source readings for their introductory ethics and moral theology courses, and campus ministers will find it a treasury of stimulating, thought-provoking material for student reflection on living the moral life. (Amazon.com)

1997 Version:

In a world that promotes moral relativity, the Church’s voice remains clear and prophetic.Common Good, Uncommon Questions explores a variety of moral issues. Its collection of Scripture passages, current Church teaching, and contemporary reflections presents a thought-provoking path that leads the reader to consider everything from abortion to the Omega Point. (Amazon.com)

Several people have had issues dealing with Ms. Storms and at least one victim has written Bishop Kettler regarding Ms. Storms’ conduct.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-vac-roxanne-storms/feed/0Regarding Schulte, Puerto Rico and Rey Riverahttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-schulte-puerto-rico-and-rey-rivera/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=regarding-schulte-puerto-rico-and-rey-rivera
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-schulte-puerto-rico-and-rey-rivera/#commentsFri, 25 Jul 2014 07:02:05 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8797Continue reading →]]>Plaintiff alleges that he “did not have knowledge of the injuries relating to the sexual abuse . . . until June 2010,” after an investigator interviewed him in May 2010 regarding another potential victim of Father Francisco. (Id. at 4.) This investigation led to the execution of Plaintiff’s affidavit of May 7, 2010, detailing the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Father Francisco; Plaintiff filed this affidavit as documentation in support of the habeas corpus petition of Reinaldo J. Rivera, another alleged victim of Father Francisco’s predatory sexual abuse at the boarding school. (Docket No. 41-1.)

In this affidavit, Plaintiff describes how Father Francisco molested him and another pupil in his office and how Plaintiff’s expulsion from the boarding school led to banishment from his childhood home and a life of poverty, homelessness, and crime. (Id. at 3-5.) Plaintiff explained that he eventually sought professional help for his addiction — “rehab . . . . helped for a while, but I was so angry about what happened to me as a child that I was constantly getting in fights and using drugs to ease my pain . . . . Father Francisco left me with many emotional and mental scars . . . .” (Id. at 6-7.) Plaintiff stated in the affidavit that he had since made an effort to take control of his life, “reading every book I could about addiction and sexual abuse” and was celebrating twelve years of sobriety. (Id. at 6.) He also stated that he found an alumni website and “hooked up with some old classmates from San Antonio Abad. The online conversations immediately discussed” the sexual abuse at the school. (Id. at 4.) Plaintiff additionally averred that if he had been asked to testify at Rivera’s trial in 2004, he would have done so. (Id. at 7.) According to his complaint, executing the affidavit caused Plaintiff “to think about the sexual abuse” and how it injured him, and to realize that Father Francisco had abused other boys. (Docket No. 1 at 4.) Plaintiff alleges he “has suffered and will continue to suffer” pain, emotional distress, and psychological injuries. (Id.) Plaintiff filed the present suit on May 2, 2011.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-schulte-puerto-rico-and-rey-rivera/feed/0Southern Fried Homicide (Rivera/Schulte)http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/southern-fried-homicide-riveraschulte/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=southern-fried-homicide-riveraschulte
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/southern-fried-homicide-riveraschulte/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 19:50:58 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8794Continue reading →]]>CSRA serial killer Reinaldo Rivera will be the focus of an episode of “Southern Fried Homicide” on Investigation Discovery tonight. Rivera was convicted in January 2004 of malice murder, three counts of rape, four counts of aggravated sodomy, four counts of aggravated assault, burglary and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime. He was sentenced to death.

[Webmaster’s Note: Abbot John Klassen has acknowledged that Schulte had multiple victims while at San Antonio Abad School in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Reinaldo Rivera was one of the students under Schulte’s care.]

After viewing a draft of this post earlier today Ms. Soldo wrote, in part, that she is “an experienced and independent fact-finder with no vested interest in the outcome of any investigation I conduct.” While that may be, Ms. Soldo’s findings are reportedly provided only to those associated with Saint John’s Abbey. This is not a recipe for truth and transparency.

[Note: If you have information regarding sexual or any other misconduct Father Backous or any other individual, please contact law enforcement, an attorney or a therapist/advocate before working with anyone associated with the Saint John’s Abbey.]

In her email, Ms. Soldo also requested that I present any information I have to corroborate the allegations against Father Backous and suggested that by writing this post, I was interfering in an “independent fact-finding investigation.”

The trouble is… we’ve been here before.

I presented information to Ms. Soldo two years ago regarding Fathers Mel Taylor and Dan Ward. I even suggested then that persons with knowledge of misconduct contact the abbot or me for Soldo’s contact information. [ View ]

The effort failed miserably. Victims were misled. Perpetrators were NOT held accountable. My faith in the Abbey’s investigative process has yet to be restored.

Background

In approximately October of 2012, I was connected with Ms. Soldo, who had been contracted by St. John’s Abbey and/or its attorneys to investigate claims of sexual misconduct by Father Dan Ward and Father Mel Taylor. In 2011 and 2012, five victims provided statements to me regarding sexual misconduct by these priests. I arranged for four of them to speak with Ms. Soldo, based on an email from an attorney from Saint John’s who wrote:

Since you have acted to facilitate this investigation, we are prepared to share with you a summary of the information the alleged victim(s) provide(s).

Despite repeated requests, no such summary was ever provided to me.

Finally, in late January of 2013, I met with Ms. Soldo [ Web Site ] in her St. Paul office. She shared that she found all four of the victims she interviewed to be credible. Despite her findings, Father Mel Taylor and Father Dan Ward have yet to be held fully accountable for their misconduct.

Backous

After hearing that Ms. Soldo is now investigation the Father Timothy Backous matter, and that my name had been used in at least one these discussions, I wrote an email to Ms. Soldo on Monday.

Regarding our January 25, 2013 meeting:

I was relieved when you shared that you found all four victim accounts to be credible. I believe that we commented on the fact that the victims simply wanted the truth revealed. One of us [may] have used the word “refreshing.” I believed, based on our conversation, that the truth would be shared and that these men would be held accountable. The trust that I, and especially these victims, placed in you was violated.

Regarding the use of my name:

Please make no mistake. I do not support you, your efforts, or have any confidence that what you are doing is a step toward the truth – or in any manner an effort to support the victims of sexual abuse.

The Archdiocese

In a July 15, 2014 story posted at MPR.org [ View ] Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis whistleblower Jennifer Haselberger claimed the Archdiocese oversaw faulty private investigations of abuse claims. “The way in which the Archdiocese sought information from potential complainants was one factor that led me to the opinion, which I shared on several occasions with Chancery leadership, that when the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis ‘investigated’ something, it was always done in such a way as to ensure that we concluded the investigation with less clarity than we began with,” she said.

Is the abbey any different?

Next

One former choir member told me that he recently told an investigator, who he identified as Soldo: “that I remember that [victim] left quite abruptly and that we knew that it was because of inappropriate behavior from Fr Tim.”

What will the investigator’s report to the Abbey say about Father Backous – and what will the Abbey do with the information?

As demonstrated in the Ward/Taylor matters, the information will likely be processed by Abbot John Klassen, the Abbey’s PR machine and its damage control department.

In other words, little or nothing.

I urge caution.

Patrick J Marker
July 16, 2014

[Note: If you have information regarding sexual or any other misconduct Father Backous or any other individual, please contact law enforcement, an attorney or a therapist/advocate before working with anyone associated with the Saint John’s Abbey.]
]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/regarding-michelle-soldo-consulting/feed/0MPR: Betrayed By Silencehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/mpr-betrayed-by-silence/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mpr-betrayed-by-silence
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/mpr-betrayed-by-silence/#commentsMon, 14 Jul 2014 17:49:45 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8768Continue reading →]]>(MPR) For decades, the archbishops who led the Catholic archdiocese in the Twin Cities maintained that they were doing everything they could to protect children from priests who wanted to rape them.

Reporters picked up those assurances and repeated them without question. Police and prosecutors took the assurances at face value. Parents believed the assurances and trusted priests with their children.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/mpr-betrayed-by-silence/feed/0St. John’s abbot reacts to abuse response criticismhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-abbot-reacts-to-abuse-response-criticism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=st-johns-abbot-reacts-to-abuse-response-criticism
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/st-johns-abbot-reacts-to-abuse-response-criticism/#commentsThu, 26 Jun 2014 05:19:03 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8764Continue reading →]]>(SC Times) COLLEGEVILLE – St. John’s Abbey Abbot John Klassen this week defended his response to clergy sex abuse allegations, issuing a statement that says the abbey strives for transparency and the truth, even when allegations against a monk are unfounded.

A 1,051-word statement from Klassen this week to the St. John’s Prep School community included his “personal reflections” on whether the abbey’s responses to abuse allegations have “fallen short of what is expected.”

Klassen cited a letter he said he recently received that asked where the “public voice” of St. John’s is when abuse allegations are made.

“I know we are bound to disappoint some of our friends who believe we respond too timidly and others who see our responses as incomplete and even disingenuous,” Klassen wrote.

He referred to the case of the Rev. Timothy Backous, the subject of recent news reports when the parents of a former St. John’s Boys Choir member accused him of inappropriate contact with their son, an allegation first made nearly 25 years ago that the abbey determined was unsubstantiated, Klassen said.

“Unfortunately and unfairly, the news media published the allegations with no corroborating witnesses, evidence or documentation. News stories accepted the untrue claim that restrictions were placed on Fr. Backous,” Klassen said. “All of this has come at a great personal cost to Fr. Backous. We will continue to do all we can to clear his name and help him regain his reputation.”

Klassen outlined the “realities we confront with almost every issue that comes forward,” saying that abuse claims often are decades old, made by reporters who have researched the allegations for days or weeks.

“We rarely have more than a couple of hours between the time we first are called for a comment by the news media and the deadline reporters impose on us,” Klassen wrote.

The abbey also is constrained in what it can say by “legal realities,” Klassen wrote.

“We have to walk a very fine line in these stories. It is our commitment to be respectful of those who believe they have been victims of abuse and, at the same time, to protect the legal rights of those who may be wrongly accused,” Klassen wrote. “There are times when we wish we could be even more proactive in laying out what we know to be the facts of a case.”

The abbey often is “chasing rumors” on websites and in email chains, Klassen wrote. They have taken legal action to remove incorrect information, but often the damage already has been done, he said.

“And, quite frankly, the truth simply doesn’t matter to some people,” he wrote.

You can buy music from (and see a photo of) Fr. Robert Koopman, OSB… Here

You can buy polyhedron from (and see a photo of) Fr. Magnus Wenninger OSB… Here

You can buy art from (and see a photo of) Father Jerome Tupa, OSB… Here

Or, you can buy a flower card from (but NOT see a photo of) “Dom Dunstan”… Here

Dom Dunstan uses natural, local material, collected throughout the state, dried and pressed for a season, to create notecards of striking design.

Who is Dom Dunstan?

Dom Dunstan is Father Dunstan Moorse, OSB, a monk from Saint John’s Abbey who sexually abused students at Saint John’s Prep School in the 80’s.

Dom Dunstan currently lives at Saint John’s Abbey along with dozens of other predators and their accomplices.

Like the other monk perpetrators, Dom Dunstan is able to walk the Collegeville campus.. . just in time for Leadership Camp [ View ] season.

In the Spring, 2008 Abbey Banner, Dunstan Moorse was mentioned on page 13, with his “creations of dried flowers under glass and homemade jams and jellies.”

In the Spring, 2009 Abbey Banner, Dunstan Moorse was mentioned (with a photo) on page 24, with his “cards, framed dried flowers, homemade jams and jellies.”

“Dom” can be used to designate a priest, in the same way that “Rev.” and “Fr.” are used.

However, this designation has not been used at Saint John’s Abbey for at least 60 years.

Is Moorse setting a new trend – or is it bad for business to have this monk perpetrator associated with its online store, just a few clicks away from the “donations” button and a photo of a smiling Abbot John Klassen… Here?

Recent news stories about clergy misconduct, and especially those involving monks from Saint John’s Abbey, have prompted questions and concerns from many of the people who care most deeply about Saint John’s Abbey, Saint John’s Prep and Saint John’s University. They have shared with me their disappointment and frustration. In particular, many have questioned whether our responses to allegations of abuse by members of our community have fallen short of what is expected of the Abbey. One alumnus put it directly in a recent letter: “I am asking where is the public voice of Saint John’s as it leads with Benedictine, Christian values…?”

That’s a fair question and one that has prompted some personal reflections that I want to share.

The cases of sexual abuse involving children have been heartbreaking. I grieve for the victims of abuse and their families. They have been betrayed by the clergy they trusted. The pain they have had to endure is unimaginable.

Since the first claims of abuse surfaced nearly three decades ago, we have worked hard to create processes in which allegations of misconduct are reviewed thoroughly and with respect for those who may have been harmed. The External Review Board – a panel that includes a victim, those who work with victims, and other experts – meets on a regular basis to evaluate claims of potential abuse and to review the safety plans for members of the monastery who likely have offended against minors.

We have taken other steps, including a voluntary release of the names of monks who likely have offended against minors, had numerous frank conversations with victims, their representatives, and the news media.

Still, every time an allegation or controversy surfaces in a news story, I know we are bound to disappoint some of our friends who believe we respond too timidly and others who see our responses as incomplete and even disingenuous.

All of this is front of mind these days as the news media regurgitate two-decade-old claims against Fr. Timothy Backous. Many of you, like me, have known and respected Fr. Timo for years. I have worked side-by-side with him, and observed his many, many interactions with children and young people. When the media contacted us, I reviewed the reports from nearly 25 years ago when the issue first was raised. The allegations were not substantiated and we found no cause to place any restrictions on Fr. Tim.

Unfortunately and unfairly, the news media published the allegations with no corroborating witnesses, evidence or documentation. News stories accepted the untrue claim that restrictions were placed on Fr. Backous. All of this has come at a great personal cost to Fr. Backous. We will continue to do all we can to clear his name and help him regain his reputation.

These news stories about Fr. Timo also underscore some of the realities we confront with almost every issue that comes forward.

First, we rarely have more than a couple of hours between the time we first are called for a comment by the news media and the deadline reporters impose on us. In these few hours, we must review old records or, in some cases, make judgments about claims that are presented for the first time and that are coming from reporters, not those directly involved. Whenever an allegation comes forward, we are committed to pursuing the truth while being respectful of the rights and the reputations of those against whom these allegations have been lodged.

On some occasions, we simply don’t have all the facts at hand. We do our best, but almost all of the media stories in recent years have dealt with issues that are decades old. Often, we are confronted with questions from reporters who have spent days or even weeks collecting information from those who believe they have been harmed, their attorneys, and others. We are questioned – and given little time to respond – only after a narrative has already been created.

We have to walk a very fine line in these stories. It is our commitment to be respectful of those who believe they have been victims of abuse and, at the same time, to protect the legal rights of those who may be wrongly accused. There are times when we wish we could be even more proactive in laying out what we know to be the facts of a case, but we are constrained by legal realities – those that affect possible victims and members of Saint John’s Abbey.

There are occasions when we have been able to refute potential media stories. In one instance, for example, we showed the reporter that a priest alleged to have abused a person wasn’t even in the same state as the alleged victim at the time the incident was supposed to have occurred. Had we not been able to uncover this kind of evidence in the short time available, the reputation of an innocent person would have been irreparably damaged.

There are many instances in which the media have uncovered stories from around the country that were important to report. But there also are other cases – including some involving members of Saint John’s – where innocence has given way to the rush to publish a “breaking story.”

Second, we are often chasing rumors. Spurious and malicious claims pop up on websites or in email chains. We have pursued legal remedies to get information removed and have been successful, but too often by the time we can provide the facts to the people communicating through these sites or to the internet companies that host the sites, the damage has been done. And, quite frankly, the truth simply doesn’t matter to some people.

Through all of this, our commitment is to do all we can to be transparent in confronting credible allegations and accepting responsibility when warranted. We also will be respectful of those who are innocent, but are caught up in an environment in which too often allegations – even without substantiation – are news. Those who have been faithful to their vows and their values should not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others.

Hemmerling was a junior (non-professed) monk at the King of Martyr priory in Fifield, Wisconsin. From 1952 until approximately 2001, King of Martyr was a dependent priory of Saint Procopius Benedictine Abbey in Lisle, Illinois.

Hemmerling’s superior at King of Martyr priory was Prior Rembert Sorg, a 1929 graduate of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.

Hemmerling studied at a seminary in Washington DC that closed in early 70′s and is now a Baptist college.

Hemmerling attended Catholic University in Washington, DC.

In approximately 1966, Hemmerling’s participated in a program called SOS (“Save our Seminary”) to raise money for his DC seminary. The seminary lost money when it took out a mortgage and invested the money at the urging of a DC lawyer. The investment failed. To raise money, Hemmerling first approached the American Legion in DC. They could not help but suggested Hemmerling meet with Phyllis “Barbara” Couch, Director of Public Relations at the Sheridan-Park Hotel. Couch introduced Hemmerling to Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey, Hale and Lindy Boggs, and George Meany, president of AFL/CIO. Couch suggested that Meany give Hemmerling the money ($48,000) to buy the opening performance of the Ice Capades. Meany agreed. Many politicians planned to go. However, President Johnson gave his state of union address on the same night. Tickets were given to vets from a nearby naval hospital. Some money was raised. According to Hemmerling, however, the seminary closed six years later.

During his last two years at Catholic University, Hemmerling worked at St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Washington, DC. Hemmerling claimed he was frustrated with the nuns because any work the students turned in was deemed acceptable.

After graduation from Catholic University, Hemmerling was supposed to go to Mishawaka, Indiana for 18 months, but Prior Rembert Sorg sent him to Mother Mary School in Phenix City, Alabama. Mother Mary School was under the direction of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

After Hemmerling worked in Alabama he went back to St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Washington, DC with the condition that he would put in place all new educational standards. The nuns at St. Anthony’s agreed. Hemmerling claims he told students what they were capable of, and they have to achieve it, under threat of expulsion. Hemmerling called his initiative the “New Direction” program.

Hemmerling left Washington DC in 1968.

At some point, Hemmerling became disenchanted as a result the changes under Second Vatican Council, particularly as those changes dealt with the religious. Hemmerling thought that the Catholic Church was becoming too modern. As a result, Hemmerling claims that he no longer wanted to become a priest.

By 1968, Hemmerling had moved to the Highland Village Apartments in Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth is 126 miles from his priory in Fifield, Minnesota.

Hemmerling implemented the “New Direction” program at the College of Saint Scholastica. A January 1969 article in the college’s newspaper [ View ] featured Hemmerling’s program.

At some point in late 1970 or early 1971, a 33 year old Hemmerling pled guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. According to a local news report, “Hemmerling was charged with inducing a scholarship recipient to come to Duluth, where, court records show, Hemmerling ‘did practice sodomy’ on the youth.” [ View ]

The case in Duluth was handled quietly by St. Louis County Attorney Keith Brownell in order avoid publicity on the case:

“I felt, rightly or wrongly, that this really wasn’t that big a crime. I entered into plea negotiations myself because I felt the program (New Directions, Inc. was of sufficient merit to justify my interest in it rather than going the normal course.” – Brownell

By the summer of 1970, however, Hemmerling had already found a new home.

Prior Rembert Sorg, a 1929 graduate of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania set up a meeting between Hemmerling and Saint Vincent Archabbot Egbert Donovan, Saint Vincent College President Rev. Fintan R. Shoniker, along with the college’s academic dean and its treasurer, Rev. Conall Pfiester.

Someone suggested that Hemmerling contact a monk/priest from Saint Vincent, Fr. Lucian Malich, at his parish in nearby Whitney (PA). The local parish, Saint Cecilia’s, had a vacant convent building that hadn’t been cleaned in a few years. Malich set the rent at $300 per month and said that Hemmerling could have the first month free if he cleaned the place.

Hemmerling had to receive the blessing of Bishop William Connare. According to Hemmerling, Connare’s chancellor, possibly Fr. Norbert Felix Gaughan, didn’t want Hemmerling in the diocese. Hemmerling met directly with the bishop, bypassing the chancellor, and received the bishop’s approval.

On his second day in Whitney, three woman approached Hemmerling while he was washing walls. They were the church organist, secretary and the cook. Hemmerling was busy and said he was rude to the women.

Hemmerling claims the New Directions program officially launched in Pennsylvania on August 15, 1970 with six students from Bowie, Maryland, all white, none Catholic. No money had been paid to Saint Vincent College when the school year started.

The students and Hemmerling slept on cots in the living room, scheduled use of the two showers, and ate from plastic plates.

The Ford motor company provided cars to transport the students.

In November of 1970, Whitney resident Ann Kozusko visited Hemmerling at the convent. During their conversation, Hemmerling shared his worries about the approaching winter and the convent’s 1902 coal furnace. Kozusko contacted Mr. Brown, who delivered several tons of coal to the convent that afternoon. Mr. Brown reportedly delivered coal for the next ten years.

Kozusko became a frequent visitor to the convent. She told Hemmerling she would pay the convent’s electricity bill and would help steer bingo profits to pay the rent.

In 1971, the program added three students.

In 1972, the program added two students.

By 1973, the program ran out of money for food. Hemmerling called Lindy Boggs (who chastised Hemmerling for his pride and lack of planning) and a deal was struck (involving contacts in Philadelphia and Baltimore) which resulted in the program receiving three truckloads of food and household supplies from Philadelphia. The supplies kept coming over the next five years.

In 1975, all of the students were required to attend summer school. In the fall of 1975, Rev. Conall Pfiester approached Hemmerling. Pfiester told Hemmerling that he had to pay the students’ bill, now well over $40,000. Pfiester was worried that the college might be sued by students who were paying their bills. Pfiester said that the situation was “dangerous” and reportedly told Hemmerling that “if you don’t pay your bill, I don’t think we can continue.”

Hemmerling drove to Washington DC to meet with George Meany, president of AFL/CIO. Meany said he could help but it would take six months. Although Meany warned Hemmerling to stay away, Hemmerling took the subway to NYC to meet with Teddy Gleason, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, at his office was near Battery Park. Hemmerling wore his collar. When he arrived in the afternoon, Hemmerling was told that Gleason would not return until the morning. Hemmerling was told to arrive at 6am.

The next day, Gleason took out a personal loan at Citibank and gave Hemmerling a check for $40,000 along with some cash to return home. Hemmerling was to return the next week to discuss how the loan would be repaid.

The first report of sexual misconduct involving a Saint Vincent College student came in 1978.

The former director of a privately-financed program to provide scholarships for several youths attending Duluth colleges has been convicted in juvenile court of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

David J. Hemmerling, 33, director of New Directions, Inc., pleaded guilty to the charge at a recent appearance in the court, and was released without fine or sentence. The file, which normally would be sealed, was released today by special court order.

Hemmerling was charged with inducing a scholarship recipient to come to Duluth, where, court records show, Hemmerling “did practice sodomy” on the youth.

Hemmerling operated the scholarship program out of his living quarters at the Highland Village Apartments, he has since resigned his post.

He was released without fine or sentence on recommendation of both his attorney and the county attorney, the records show.

Though Hemmerling is an adult, his case was taken to juvenile court as the result of negotiations between his attorney and the county attorney, the record shows.

The case was properly in juvenile court, St. Louis County Atty. Keith Brownell said, because the youth was a minor when he came to Duluth, although he was an adult when the alleged acts occurred.

Brownell said he agreed to take the issue into juvenile court, because, “I felt, rightly or wrongly, that this really wasn’t that big a crime. I entered into plea negotiations myself because I felt the program (New Directions, Inc. was of sufficient merit to justify my interest in it rather than going the normal course.”

The “normal course”, he said, would be to assign the case to one of his assistants, where it would have been tried in district court.

Brownell confirmed the negotiations were largely to avoid publicity on the case, juvenile records normally are not open. However, he said, the arrest record and search warrant in the case are both on record at Duluth Municipal Court and open to the public.

[Webmaster’s Note: This article appeared in a Duluth (MN) area newspaper in approximately December of 1971. By that time, Brother David Hemmerling had already moved the New Direction program from Minnesota to Pennsylvania at the insistence of his superior, Prior Rembert Sorg. Prior Sorg and Hemmerling were members of the King of Martyrs Priory in Fifield, Wisconsin, a dependent priory of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, Illinois. Sorg, a 1929 graduate of Saint Vincent College, arranged a meeting between Hemmerling, Archabbot Egbert Donovan and officials at Saint Vincent College. Bishop Connare also gave his blessing. Hemmerling would lead the New Direction program at Saint Vincent College for almost twenty years during which time college officials received multiple reports of sexual and other misconduct, the first occurring in approximately 1978.]
]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/1971-juvenile-court-used-for-adult-duluth/feed/01969: “The New Direction” at Saint Scholastica (Duluth)http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/1969-the-new-direction-at-saint-scholastica-duluth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1969-the-new-direction-at-saint-scholastica-duluth
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/1969-the-new-direction-at-saint-scholastica-duluth/#commentsWed, 25 Jun 2014 16:24:36 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8742Continue reading →]]>Recently inaugurated in Duluth was a youth program entitled “The New Direction.” The social and recreational group with no religious or organizational affiliations, The New Direction is composed of high school students and their adult advisors, a number of whom are CSS students. The young people of Duluth participating in the program represent no particular religious denomination, area of residence within the city, or economic status.

Working together, the high school students and their advisers, under the direction of Brother David Hemmerling, are attempting to break down existing socio-economic division within the city through social, charitable, patriotic, and recreational endeavors. Recent accomplishments of the organization have included the donation of $100 to a needy family for Christmas gifts, as well as the adoption of a Brazilian orphan whom the club will support with monthly stipends. Money used in these projects is the profit made through various club-sponsored activities.

CSS students involved in this program served as discussion leaders, confidants, and teachers, aiding the group and all of its operational phases. Participating in the activities of these young people give them an excellent opportunity to positively influence teenagers in the critical years of maturation and social and psychological adjustment.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/1969-the-new-direction-at-saint-scholastica-duluth/feed/0Opinion: DELIVERANCE (Duluth)http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/opinion-deliverance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=opinion-deliverance
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/opinion-deliverance/#commentsTue, 24 Jun 2014 22:14:46 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8738Continue reading →]]>The Diocese of Duluth, for its part, produced a letter of recommendation from the Abbot John Klassen, whose flip-flops and vacillations have become legendary. Any eight-year old could tell the Diocese was dissembling and passing-the-buck. Throughout my lifetime any ordinary Catholic approaching the Diocesan Tribunal on a matter of divorce, marriage, re-marriage, baptism, etc., has been required to produce a mountain of documents in support of the case. But, with Timothy Backous, Bishop Paul Sirba accepted one piece of paper from an unreliable source. (Hasn’t the Bishop been paying attention to news-media in the Twin Cities? The Abbot’s credibility has been challenged before the public continuously now for several years.)

I have observed that many people I know are unsympathetic to the never-ending sex scandals within the Catholic Church. “It’s only Catholics doing bad things to Catholics,” I have been told. “Any people dumb enough to subject themselves to such a gross cult-like authoritarian structure deserve anything that happens to them!”

With the case of Father Timothy Backous, however, the Catholic Diocese of Duluth, the St. Scholastica Monastery, and the corporation of ESSENTIA HEALTH have gone outside the confines of the Church. They have involved the public at large, with potential consequences for Protestants, Jews, Eastern Orthodox, Swedenborgians, Buddhists, Atheists, Pagans, whoever.

ESSENTIA HEALTH, corporation-wide, is a public medical entity. They actively solicit and encourage ALL of the public to obtain their services. They engage in a continuous process of advertising and publicity. As a public combination of hospitals and medical centers, and receiving at least partial funding from public monies, ESSENTIA HEALTH is obliged to follow state and federal rules and regulations on a number of issues.

Nevertheless, ESSENTIA HEALTH hired Timothy Backous and elevated him to Corporate Vice Presidential status as director of “integrated chaplaincy,” etc., even though he had no credible background, training, or experience with ministry to the sick or the dying — let alone that he should direct or “integrate” others in such capacity.

Further, as ESSENTIA HEALTH was busy creating a status-position for Mr. Backous, investigators and lawyers with subpoenas in their hands, in Stearns County and in the Twin Cities, were hunting for him. Indeed, they were hunting for him throughout the winter. Oblivious of the world around them, the corporation of ESSENTIA HEALTH failed to discover that St. John’s Abbey once again had reneged on its promises to parents that Backous among others would never again be placed with or near children.

Isn’t it true that ESSENTIA HEALTH deals with considerable numbers of children and vulnerable adults every day? Yet, in this very responsibility, ESSENTIA HEALTH broke public trust. They violated a sense of the common good. The Board of ESSENTIA HEALTH failed to act with “prudent care” for the corporation or the public good. (“Prudent Care” is a requirement of the law.)

At corporate-board level, anyone who sponsored and/or pushed the elevation of Timothy Backous to Corporate Vice Presidential status should resign. If they refuse, they should be compelled to resign! Any sense of common good demands it.

The Diocese of Duluth, for its part, produced a letter of recommendation from the Abbot John Klassen, whose flip-flops and vacillations have become legendary. Any eight-year old could tell the Diocese was dissembling and passing-the-buck. Throughout my lifetime any ordinary Catholic approaching the Diocesan Tribunal on a matter of divorce, marriage, re-marriage, baptism, etc., has been required to produce a mountain of documents in support of the case. But, with Timothy Backous, Bishop Paul Sirba accepted one piece of paper from an unreliable source. (Hasn’t the Bishop been paying attention to news-media in the Twin Cities? The Abbot’s credibility has been challenged before the public continuously now for several years.)

The Abbot John Klassen now insists that the charges made by the McDermid family were “unsubstantiated.” If that was the case then why did St. John’s Abbey agree to pay, and did pay, for the therapy for the McDermid boy? Authorities at the Abbey said, “We will pay for the therapy, any therapy he ever needs!” Why did they say and do this if the charges were “unsubstantiated”? And why did the Abbey promise the parents that Timothy Backous would not be placed with or near children in the future?

The leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Duluth, the St. Scholastica Monastery, and the corporation of ESSENTIA HEALTH suffer from the disease of “administrative mentality.” They want Timothy Backous to be able to “save face.” But, simultaneously, they don’t care if the younger Mr. McDermid “saves face.” What hypocrisy! What double-standards!

I think the Catholic Diocese of Duluth, the St. Scholastica Monastery, and the corporation of ESSENTIA HEALTH have not yet realized that there is a new Pope, and that that Pope has called for new policies and new directions. Indeed, Pope Francis has complained of bishops and others in authority whose “morbid obsessions” have transformed the Church into “nothing but a House of Cards on the verge of collapse.” Instead, Pope Francis has called for Truth and Reconciliation. Stop denying it, admit fault, minister to victims, and expel perpetrators from the clergy!

IN THE MEANTIME, as we wait for deliverance from the reign of the morbid, I suggest that Catholics, and others, of Northeastern Minnesota and elsewhere, stop giving money to these people! Stop giving money to the Catholic Diocese of Duluth and its parishes! Stop giving money to the St. Scholastica Monastery! Stop giving money to the corporation of ESSENTIA HEALTH!

More… Here
]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/opinion-deliverance/feed/0Priest on leave from Essentia, St. Michael’s parish after allegations airedhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/priest-on-leave-from-essentia-st-michaels-parish-after-allegations-aired/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=priest-on-leave-from-essentia-st-michaels-parish-after-allegations-aired
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/priest-on-leave-from-essentia-st-michaels-parish-after-allegations-aired/#commentsFri, 13 Jun 2014 06:48:40 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8728Continue reading →]]>(Duluth News Tribune) A Benedictine priest has been placed on administrative leave from Essentia Health and has been asked to discontinue assisting at St. Michael’s parish in Duluth after allegations resurfaced that he sexually molested a boy during a choir tour in Europe 25 years ago.

The Rev. Timothy Backous “has carried out his duties here … in an exemplary manner and consistent with his vows and responsibilities,” said the Rev. James Bissonette, vicar general of the Diocese of Duluth, in a statement posted on the diocese’s website this week.

“Nonetheless, we take such matters extremely seriously and have asked Father Backous to suspend his weekend work at the parish until a fuller examination of the facts can be completed.”

In a separate statement, Essentia Health said Backous had offered to take leave from his role as vice president for mission integration and Benedictine sponsorship.

Backous was appointed to the position, which primarily involved ministering in the Catholic hospitals in the Twin Ports, in August.

Backous’ whereabouts were unknown, and he wasn’t immediately available for a comment.

The actions came after the release of a May 31 letter to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from a St. Cloud couple complaining that their allegations about Backous hadn’t been addressed.

Chris and Kathy McDermid say their son toured Europe with the St. John’s Boys’ Choir, which then was a part of St. John’s Abbey, during the summer of 1990. Backous went along as a chaperone, the McDermids said in their letter.

Their son, who turned 13 during the tour, exhibited markedly different behavior after his return, said the couple, both of whom are retired teachers.

“We thought of it as teenage bad behavior,” Kathy McDermid said in a telephone interview with both on Thursday.

But after a year went by, their son told them he had been sexually abused by Backous, she said.

The couple removed their son from choir and saw that he received therapy, she said. They also took the allegation to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office and were told it was out of their jurisdiction, she said.

The abbey paid for their son’s therapy and promised that Backous wouldn’t have any more involvement with the choir or any more access to students.

“They promised that Father Backous would be sent into therapy far away,” Kathy McDermid said. “So we thought that it was taken care of. We trusted that everything was done.”

The McDermids said they were shocked to learn from a friend that Backous had preached at the Basilica of St. Mary’s in Minneapolis during Memorial Day weekend. They further learned that Backous had served as headmaster of St. John’s Prep School in recent years.

That’s what prompted the McDermids to send their letter to the archdiocese, they said.

In a statement, Abbott John Klassen of St. John’s Abbey defended Backous.

“The allegations were not substantiated,” Klassen wrote. “Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character.”

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a statement Thursday, saying it was unaware of the allegations against Rev. Backous, and that they had received a letter from St. John’s Abbey which stood as a testament to Backous’ good standing before he was allowed to minister within the archdiocese.

“Since this accusation is new to us, we have contacted the abbot at Saint John’s Abbey and Rev. Backous, and requested Rev. Backous temporarily refrain from ministering in the archdiocese until we can obtain more information surrounding this accusation, and how it was addressed by the Order of Saint Benedict. We believe this is a prudent response and is consistent with our commitment to protect children and help in healing,” the archdiocese said in a statement.

The McDermids said they aren’t aware of any allegations against Backous other than their own. But they said there’s no doubt in their minds that the abuse occurred. Their son, who now lives in California, still suffers the effects, they said.

“He often has situations where he has difficulties with this still,” Kathy McDermid said.

Chris McDermid said that when their son was in college he once was with a group attending a play at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Their son happened to see that Backous was in the audience and had a “meltdown,” he said.

The McDermids said their son has been in contact with Jeff Anderson and Associates of St. Paul, a firm that specializes in clergy sexual abuse cases. But to their knowledge, he hasn’t filed a lawsuit. They declined to name their son.

The parents will take no legal action, they said.

“We just want Father Backous to be removed from the ministry and not have any access to children,” Kathy McDermid said.

But they wouldn’t object to the Essentia Health position as long as he was never alone with children, Chris McDermid said.

The Catholic Church has been embroiled in clergy sexual abuse allegations in recent years, including in Minnesota.

Under court orders, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in December named 30 priests whom it said had been credibly accused of abuse. A week later, Jeff Anderson’s firm filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth, asking that names and files of at least 17 credibly accused priests be made public.

In his statement, Klassen said St. John’s Abbey had acknowledged “credible accusations” and reached out to victims.

“But we also hope that those who are innocent will not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others,” he wrote.

Following renewed accusations of misconduct alleged to have occurred over 20 years ago, Fr. Tim Backous offered to take leave from his current role as VP, Mission Integration and Benedictine Sponsorship for Essentia Health.

Essentia Health has accepted and placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome of its internal investigation into the matter.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/essentia-health-statement-re-backous/feed/0Abbot John Klassen defends former St. John’s headmaster accused of abusehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/abbot-john-klassen-defends-former-st-johns-headmaster-accused-of-abuse/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=abbot-john-klassen-defends-former-st-johns-headmaster-accused-of-abuse
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/abbot-john-klassen-defends-former-st-johns-headmaster-accused-of-abuse/#commentsThu, 12 Jun 2014 02:13:09 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8696Continue reading →]]>(Fox 9) Abbot John Klassen, of St. John’s Abbey, described the sexual abuse allegations leveled against a former St. John’s Prep School headmaster “unsubstantiated” as he defended the integrity of Rev. Timothy Backous — and the victim’s family says that’s disturbing.

The St. Cloud Times reported that the accusations against Backous — which claim he had inappropriate sexual contact with a former member of the St. John’s Boys’ Choir — surfaced in a letter dated May 31. That letter, sent by St. Cloud residents Chris and Kathy McDermid, claims their son was repeatedly sexually assaulted while on a choir trip to Europe in 1990 when he was just 12.

“They need to get his name on the list of accused because he was accused and he did abuse our son,” Kathy McDermid told Fox 9 News.

Although they tried to file a police report, the McDermids say the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office told them the alleged abuse was out of their jurisdiction.

“[Our son has] told us a lot of things, but I’m not even sure we know the whole truth,” Chris McDermid admitted. “It’s such a shame issue.”

So, they turned to the abbey. The family told Fox 9 News they first brought allegations against Backous to then-Abbott Jerome Theisen shortly after the trip was over and asked Theisen to ensure that Backous would not be allowed around children. The McDermids say they were promised Backous would be sent away for treatment, and they also received money from the abbey to pay for years of counseling for the boy.

In an e-mail sent to the St. Cloud Times, spokesman Brother Aelred Senna explained that the Abbey paid for the counseling because the claims “emerged from a sponsored trip and were brought against a monk of St. John’s,” and that the abbey “had a pastoral opportunity to assist with the costs of counseling for the minor.”

Senna explained that the abbey offers to assist regardless of whether the allegations of abuse are substantiated, and Klassen insists these are not.

“The allegations were not substantiated. Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character,” Klassen wrote in a statement.

The letter was sent to Archbishop John Nienstedt and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, according to the St. Cloud Times; however, it was also copied and sent to Klassen and St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler.

The McDermids apparently penned the letter after learning that Backous presided over mass at the Basilica of St. Mary over Memorial Day weekend. A friend passed along a church bulletin that showed “Father Timo,” as he likes to be called, would be a featured speaker — and much to their surprise — is still a prominent part of St. John’s.”

“I just freaked out when I heard that because those boys are all the same age as the boys in the St. John’s Boys’ Choir,” Kathy McDermid said.

With renewed anger and frustration, they asked Nienstedt to investigate the allegations of abuse and prevent Backous from being around children in the interim.

“Something has to happen to get this guy out of here again,” Kathy McDermid said. “My trust, I felt, was completely shaken.”

Less than one week after the allegations resurfaced, Backous took a step back from his job in Duluth, where he has worked since 2013. He remains in good standing with the church, but Catholic leaders say they are inquiring about how the allegations were handled. Meanwhile, the McDermids say their son is working with St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson; although, at this point, nothing has been filed.

Backous served as headmaster of St. John’s Prep School from 2006 to 2013 and was also the athletic director at St. John’s University.

STATEMENT FROM ABBOT JOHN KLASSEN

I am certain that the pain the McDermid family has expressed is sincere, and I am sympathetic to what they describe they have been through.

I have known Father Tim Backous for many years, worked side-by-side with him, and observed his many, many interactions with children and young people. I have also reviewed the reports from nearly 25 years ago when the allegations of inappropriate conduct against Father Backous were first presented. The allegations were not substantiated. Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character.

We have publicly acknowledged those members of our monastic community against whom there are credible allegations, and we have reached out to victims to accept responsibility. We will continue to do so. But we also hope that those who are innocent will not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others.

STATEMENT FROM ESSENTIA HEALTH

Following renewed accusations of misconduct alleged to have occurred over 20 years ago, Fr. Tim Backous offered to take leave from his current role as VP, Mission Integration and Benedictine Sponsorship for Essentia Health. Essentia Health has accepted and placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome of its internal investigation into the matter.

STATEMENT FROM BISHOP ANDREW COZZENS

Approximately a week ago, Archbishop John Nienstedt received a letter from a couple who claimed their son was abused by Rev. Timothy Backous, O.S.B., a priest of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN. The parents claimed their son was abused while on a youth choir trip while they were members of a parish in Saint Cloud. The accusation indicates the alleged abuse occurred more than 20 years ago, and the parents stated they contacted police. The family wrote that it was contacting the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis because they had recently seen Rev. Backous, O.S.B. celebrating Mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, and were disappointed with the way St. John’s Abbey handled their complaint. The O.S.B. is an order of priests separate from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and operates out of Saint John’s Abbey in [sic] Saint Cloud, MN.

Immediately after receiving the letter, we checked our priest files and found a letter from Saint John’s Abbey (which is part of the Order of Saint Benedict) had been sent to us indicating Rev. Backous was a priest in good standing before he was granted permission to minister in the archdiocese.

We seek to obtain more information surrounding this accusation and how it was addressed by the Order of Saint Benedict. We believe this is a prudent response and is consistent with our commitment to protect children and help in healing.

Any further questions about Rev. Backous should be referred to Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN.

Approximately a week ago, Archbishop John Nienstedt received a letter from a couple who claimed their son was abused by Rev. Timothy Backous, O.S.B., a priest of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN. The parents claimed their son was abused while on a youth choir trip while they were members of a parish in Saint Cloud. The accusation indicates the alleged abuse occurred more than 20 years ago, and the parents stated they contacted the police. The family wrote that it was contacting the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis because they had recently seen Rev. Backous, O.S.B. celebrating Mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, and were disappointed with the way St. John’s Abbey handled their complaint. The O.S.B. is an order of priests separate from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and operates out of Saint John’s Abbey in Saint Cloud, MN.

Immediately after receiving the letter, we checked our priest files and found a letter from Saint John’s Abbey (which is part of the Order of Saint Benedict) had been sent to us indicating Rev.
Backous was a priest in good standing before he was granted permission to minister in the archdiocese.

We seek to obtain more information surrounding this accusation and how it was addressed by the Order of Saint Benedict. We believe this is a prudent response and is consistent with our commitment to protect children and help in healing.

Any further questions about Rev. Backous should be referred to Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/archdiocese-statement-regarding-backous/feed/0Clergy abuse allegation surfaces against ex-St. John’s Prep headmasterhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/clergy-abuse-allegation-surfaces-against-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=clergy-abuse-allegation-surfaces-against-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/clergy-abuse-allegation-surfaces-against-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 22:44:48 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8689Continue reading →]]>(MPR) A former member of a central Minnesota boys’ choir says a priest at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville abused him while on a trip to Europe more than two decades ago.

The alleged victim and his family say they decided to go public with their allegations against the Rev. Timothy Backous after learning Backous was still in public ministry and had recently been working with minors.

The abbey says it stands by Backous. However, Essentia Health in Duluth, where the priest is now a vice president, says Backous is on voluntary leave pending an internal investigation. Late this afternoon, the Twin Cities Archdiocese said it is looking into the matter as well.

The man, now 37, says he endured unwanted sexual touching from Backous throughout a bus ride during the May 1990 European trip, while Backus was a chaperone. Backous could not be reached for comment.

The alleged victim said he’s not ready to speak publicly. His father, Chris McDermid of St. Cloud, said when his son returned from Europe 24 years ago, he had changed and that it was more that typical teenage angst. “He started getting angry. He broke things. It was disturbing, but we had no idea what happened.”

Mother Kathy McDermid said after nearly a year of angry outbursts her son finally revealed what happened but that local law enforcement officials told her then they couldn’t do anything because the alleged crime happened overseas.

The McDermids said they sent their son to a therapist and then met with the head of St. John’s at the time, Abbot Jerome Theisen, who’s now deceased.

“We said he’s getting therapy. And they said, ‘Yeah, we will pay for that. We will pay for the therapy, any therapy he needs,'” she said. “In fact, they said ‘any therapy he ever needs.'”

Theisen promised that Backous would no longer be allowed to work with the boys’ choir or students at St. John’s, the McDermids said, adding they put the matter behind them.

They said they decided to come forward now after learning Backous had celebrated Mass in Minneapolis and had been headmaster of St. John’s Preparatory School from 2006 until last year.

The McDermids outlined their concerns in a May 31 letter to Twin Cities Archbishop John Neinstedt and current St. John’s Abbot John Klassen.

Klassen said in a statement that the allegations of inappropriate conduct were not substantiated and Backous has no restrictions placed upon him.

At the same time, a spokesman for Klassen confirms the abbey did pay for the alleged victim’s therapy.

“In keeping with who we are, Saint John’s offers to assist with counseling payments regardless of whether an allegation of abuse is substantiated,” Brother Aelred Senna said in a statement.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/clergy-abuse-allegation-surfaces-against-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster/feed/0Letter to Catholic Church officials calls for Father Timothy Backous’ removal from ministryhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/letter-to-catholic-church-officials-calls-for-father-timothy-backous-removal-from-ministry/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=letter-to-catholic-church-officials-calls-for-father-timothy-backous-removal-from-ministry
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/letter-to-catholic-church-officials-calls-for-father-timothy-backous-removal-from-ministry/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 19:23:00 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8674Continue reading →]]>(City Pages) In March, two top Catholic Church officials in Minnesota sat down with the editorial board of the St. Cloud Times to discuss the ongoing clergy sex abuse scandal. Bishop Donald Kettler of the St. Cloud Diocese and Abbot John Klassen of St. John’s Abbey both agreed — there were no priests left in ministry with creditable accusations against them.

Chris and Kathy McDermid, both retired school teachers who live in St. Cloud, were incredulous when they heard the news and incensed when they later found out that Father Timothy Backous had presided over a Memorial Day weekend Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary.

In a letter dated May 31, the McDermids allege that Backous sexually abused their son, in the summer of 1990, on a trip to Germany and Austria. Their son, they say, was traveling with the St. John’s Boys’ Choir and Backous had tagged along as a chaperone.

On return from the European tour our son was noticeably different. His demeaner (sic) had drastically changed. He was deeply disturbed, physically violent, and had angry outbursts which was not behavior he exhibited prior to the tour. We were horrified when he told us that he had been sexually abused by Father Backous.

The McDermids also allege that they reported the abuse to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office to no avail. The couple contends that officials at St. John’s Abbey then promised to send Backous away for treatment and bar him from any further interaction with children. Unbeknownst to the McDermits, though, the abbey kept Backous in a teaching position and put him in charge of the St. John’s Preparatory School between 2006 and 2013.

In coming forward, the McDermids asked that their son’s name be protected. They say he no longer lives in Minnesota and is 36, which would have made him 12 on that trip to Europe in 1990.

“Since the life-changing events that occurred decades ago, our family has done its best to pick up the pieces and be supportive to our son,” the couple wrote. “It is difficult as parents, knowing what he’s going through and watching him suffer.”

A message left with Backous was not returned Tuesday. When reached for comment, Klassen released a statement in which he expresses sympathy for the family but defends his underling. The abbot says he’s worked along Backous for years and seen his “many, many interactions with children and young people,” and continues:

I have also reviewed the reports from nearly 25 years ago when the allegations of inappropriate conduct against Father Backous were first presented. The allegations were not substantiated. Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character.

Jim Accurso, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Minneaopolis and St. Paul, which also received a copy of the letter, says he’s opened his own investigation.

“Father Backous is a priest in good standing and that is why he’s saying Mass at the Basilica,” Accurso says, adding, “These charges are new to us.”

The McDermids are asking that church officials remove Backous, once and for all, from ministry. “I can’t even describe it,” Kathy tells us in a phone interview. “We were angry and just really sad to think that they would go against their word.”

Chris’ voice pops through a second receiver in the McDermit’s home: “We just hope that Father Timothy Backous would have no further access to children. It’s gotta stop.”

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/letter-to-catholic-church-officials-calls-for-father-timothy-backous-removal-from-ministry/feed/0Backous on Remorsehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-remorse/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=backous-on-remorse
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-remorse/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 18:02:05 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8631Are we to understand that saying we’re sorry is appropriate only
because it’s the correct legal or political posture? Can’t genuine
human sorrow and embarrassment be seen as a strength?

What ever happened to remorse? The dictionary tells us it means “a
deep and painful feeling of sorrow or regret.” These days it seems
that to feel remorse is to show weakness, to admit guilt and,
therefore, to fold under pressure. It seems a better strategy to go on
the defensive. Blame others. Blame society if you must but for God’s
sake, don’t show anyone that you’re sorry for what you did! Those with
power should never be remorseful.

Are we to understand that saying we’re sorry is appropriate only
because it’s the correct legal or political posture? Can’t genuine
human sorrow and embarrassment be seen as a strength?

William Cowper once said, “Remorse begets reform.” The Monica Lewinsky
affair has taught us all kinds of lessons about the way we honor an
office such as the Presidency, how we respect the covenant of
marriage, how we deplore the misuse of power and sexuality and how to
address these problems when they arise again as no doubt they will.
But I sincerely hope it has not taught us to fear remorse – for that
would signal the end of reconciliation and rebirth. Hopefully, the
kinds of trouble we fall into will not necessitate public confessions
on national TV but even if it’s in the quiet and safe privacy of a
confessional, or simply looking into the eyes of someone we’ve
wronged, we grow stronger as human beings when we are able to say “I’m
sorry.”

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-remorse/feed/0Backous on Failurehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-failure/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=backous-on-failure
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-failure/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 08:33:22 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8634Continue reading →]]>But now, just a short time later, we are left to face our failure from a startling new perspective: we must must accept it as our own. We have no one to hide behind, no one to blame, no one to mitigate the circumstances. – Fr. Timothy Backous (2000)

Backous on Failure

One of the trickiest moments in life is an experience of failure. Usually, one’s first inclination is disbelief. “This can’t be happening to me.” A second inclination might be to blame everyone else within a five mile radius. A third, and certainly more ominous response, is to shut down and wallow in our bitterness.

The truth is that failure is a common staple of life, but it always seems to take us by surprise. What makes it especially difficult for the college student, however, has to do with your ongoing struggle to leave childhood behind and enter the world of adulthood. Just behind you is an experience of failure that would be smoothed over by gentle hugs, encouraging words or mountains of ice cream. Fresh in your memory are those times when friends, siblings or parents quickly dismissed our mistakes as “things to put behind us” with assurances that “everything will be OK.”

But now, just a short time later, we are left to face our failure from a startling new perspective: we must must accept it as our own. We have no one to hide behind, no one to blame, no one to mitigate the circumstances.

It is my experience that college students find this acceptance of failure to be one of the toughest parts of growing up. When one fails a class because of a poor or lackluster performance, it is much easier to blame the professor as being unreasonable or even “a jerk.” When relationships crash and burn, it is much easier to blame the other person involved as the perpetrator rather than look to our own selfishness, carelessness or indifference.

Whatever mistakes or failures we encounter as students (and you WILL find them) the sooner we accept the responsibility for them, the faster we grow. The more able we are to own up to our failures, the less likely we will be to repeat them.

Moving from childhood to adulthood has its perks but it also pushes us to the front lines of responsibility. The truly wise among us are able to accept the freedom of being an adult and at the same time demonstrate courage in claiming our own mistakes.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/backous-on-failure/feed/0Family accuses Ex-St. John’s Prep headmaster of abusehttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/family-accuses-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster-of-abuse/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=family-accuses-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster-of-abuse
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/family-accuses-ex-st-johns-prep-headmaster-of-abuse/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 03:53:37 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8666Continue reading →]]>(SC Times) St. John’s Abbey Abbot John Klassen on Tuesday called allegations of inappropriate sexual contact by a former St. John’s Prep School headmaster against a former member of the St. John’s Boys’ Choir unsubstantiated and defended his integrity and character.

The allegations of inappropriate contact by the Rev. Timothy Backous surfaced in a letter sent May 31 by Chris and Kathy McDermid, who live in St. Cloud and whose son was in the choir when it made a trip to Europe in 1990, to Archbishop John Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The letter was copied to Klassen and St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler.

The McDermids wrote the letter after learning that Backous had presided over Mass on Memorial Day weekend at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. They asked Nienstadt to investigate the allegations and not allow Backous to be around children.

The McDermids contend that they first brought the allegations against Backous to then-Abbot Jerome Theisen shortly after the choir returned from Europe.

They asked Theisen to prevent Backous from having any role that put him around children, and they received payment from the abbey for counseling for their son. Abbey spokesman Brother Aelred Senna said Tuesday in an email to the Times that the abbey paid for the counseling because the allegations “emerged from a sponsored trip and were brought against a monk of St. John’s” and that the abbey “had a pastoral opportunity to assist with the costs of counseling for the minor.”

The abbey offers to assist in such situations, regardless of whether the allegation of abuse is substantiated, Senna said in the email.

Klassen strongly defended Backous, who was headmaster at the prep school from 2006-13 and athletic director at St. John’s University.

Klassen has worked alongside Backous for many years and observed his interactions with children and young people, Klassen wrote in his statement. He also reviewed reports from when the allegations were first made, he wrote.

“The allegations were not substantiated. Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character,” Klassen wrote.

Klassen acknowledged that the abbey has reached out to victims when there are credible allegations against members of the abbey.

“We will continue to do so,” he wrote. “But we also hope that those who are innocent will not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others.”

The McDermids said Tuesday evening that they stand by what they said happened to their son on the Europe trip. They have retained clergy sex abuse attorney Jeff Anderson and are pondering a lawsuit.

I am certain that the pain the [redacted] family has expressed is sincere, and I am sympathetic to what they describe they have been through.

I have known Father Tim Backous for many years, worked side-by-side with him, and observed his many, many interactions with children and young people. I have also reviewed the reports from nearly 25 years ago when the allegations of inappropriate conduct against Father Backous were first presented. The allegations were not substantiated. Father Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character.

We have publicly acknowledged those members of our monastic community against whom there are credible allegations, and we have reached out to victims to accept responsibility.

We will continue to do so. But we also hope that those who are innocent will not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others.

We were saddened to hear that Father Timothy Backous O.S.B., known in the area as Father Timo, was allowed to preside at mass in the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis this past Memorial Day weekend.

Years ago, we were active members of our parish in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where my wife and I were both serving as choir directors. We encouraged our children to be active in the Church. They are gifted in music and we were proud when our son auditioned for and was selected to join the Saint John’s Boys’ Choir, under the direction of Brother Paul Richards, in 1988. ln the summer of 1990, our son toured Europe with the Boys’
Choir. Father Backous went along as a chaperone.

On return from the European tour our son was noticeably different. His demeaner had drastically changed. He was deeply disturbed, physically violent, and had angry outbursts which was not behavior he exhibited prior to the tour. We were horrified when he told us that he had been sexually abused by Father Backous.

We reported the abuse to the Stearns County Sheriff and to Abbot Jerome Theisen O.S.B. of Saint John’s Abbey. The sheriff told us that his department had no jurisdiction, since the conduct occurred in Europe.

At St. John’s, we reported the abuse to Brother Paul Bichards who was shocked and sympathetic. Later, when meeting with Abbot Jerome and Brother Paul together, we got the distinct feeling that Brother Paul was no longer on the side of our son. He appeared dismissive and even hostile.

It seemed that Abbot Theisen was listening and wanted to take steps to fix the problem. We were promised that Father Backous would be immediately removed from his involvement with the Boys’ Choir, and that he would be sent away to receive treatment. We were also promised that he would be barred from having any contact with children and students at St. John’s.

At this point, Abbot Theisen agreed to pay the cost of counseling related to the abuse of our son.

Since the life-changing events that occurred decades ago, our family has done its best to pick up the pieces and be supportive to our son. It is difficult as parents, knowing what he’s going through and watching him suffer. We have had no interest in matters involving Saint John’s Abbey or Father Backous for many years, thinking him far away at a treatment facility. However, we did pay attention when Abbot John Klassen O.S.B. of Saint John’s Abbey and Bishop Donald Kettler of Saint Cloud recently said publicly that there are no priests in ministry with accusations against them. We had our suspicions, having heard in other news reports, about files in the Archdiocese’ possession pertaining to abusive monks and clergy. The Abbey was acutely aware of predators on campus who were then moved around within the church.

The Abbey has chosen to ignore our good faith report of sexual abuse by Father Backous and allowed him to serve as Head Master of the St. John’s Preparatory School. Our faith was once again shattered by hearing that Father Timothy Backous was allowed to say mass at the Basilica earlier this month.

We are now bringing this matter to your attention, and ask that you take corrective measures to investigate and, more importantly, do not allow Father Timothy Backous O.S.B., through his position as a priest, to have any further access to children.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/letter-from-parents-regarding-father-tim-backous/feed/0Hoefgen at Archdiocesan Rectory in 2005http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/hoefgen-at-archdiocesan-rectory-in-2005/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hoefgen-at-archdiocesan-rectory-in-2005
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/hoefgen-at-archdiocesan-rectory-in-2005/#commentsThu, 29 May 2014 19:52:06 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8531Continue reading →]]>Last week, we received a tip from a former parishioner that admitted child molester Fran Hoefgen lived with Father David Ostrowski at the Church of the Holy Cross rectory in Minneapolis around 2005. In 2005, Fran Hoefgen was still a priest and on restriction (since 2002) at Saint John’s Abbey. Father Hoefgen was laicized in 2011.

A quick review of public records (see screen shots, below) shows the church’s address for both Hoefgen and Ostrowski.

Another record search shows that Hoefgen may have lived at the church’s rectory from June of 2004 until April of 2006. [ View ]

On May 21, 2014, Sister M. Benita at Holy Cross confirmed that Fran Hoefgen was often at the rectory around 2005. Sister Benita added that that she knew Hoefgen had some “issues” but would not say what those issues were.

A former parishioner at Holy Cross, who left the Catholic church because of the sexual abuse issue, also saw Hoefgen on church grounds.

What did the Archdiocese Know?

Did the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis know that Father David Ostrowski (a former Saint John’s Abbey monk) was harboring an admitted child molester [ View ] at the rectory? Did Hoefgen pay rent? Meet with parishioners? Help with parish duties? Say mass? Entertain?

Has Father Ostrowski provided Fran Hoefgen access to the rectory and/or parishioners at Ostrowski’s current church, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Minnetonka?

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/hoefgen-at-archdiocesan-rectory-in-2005/feed/0Former Hastings priest charged with raping altar boy for yearshttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-hastings-priest-charged-with-raping-altar-boy-for-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=former-hastings-priest-charged-with-raping-altar-boy-for-years
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-hastings-priest-charged-with-raping-altar-boy-for-years/#commentsThu, 22 May 2014 01:15:15 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8559Continue reading →]]>(StarTribune) A onetime priest at a Catholic parish in Hastings was charged Wednesday with repeatedly sexually abusing an altar boy in the late 1980s and into early 1990s, acts that allegedly occurred after he was removed from a central Minnesota parish after similar behavior.

Francis Hoefgen, 63, of Columbia Heights, was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly abusing the boy from early 1989 to late 1991. Hoefgen posted bondWednesday and was released from the Dakota County jail.

The abuse began when the victim was 9 or 10 years old years old and an altar boy at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church (formerly St. Boniface), where Hoefgen was assigned, according to the charges.

The complaint said the abuse occurred “on several occasions over an extended period of time” and involved anal and oral sex and fondling.

“It is not surprising that the victim waited over 20 years to come forward,” said County Attorney Jim Backstrom. “Most child victims repress the troubling memories for many years … and often have feelings of guilt, humiliation, shame and confusion. These innocent victims simply do not realize at the time or until many years after that this abuse is not their fault.

“It takes a lot of courage for any such victims to come forward. There are few crimes that carry such long-term negative impact as sexual abuse. I hope the publicity surrounding this matter will empower more victims to come forward.”

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a national clergy sex abuse watchdog group, said in a statement released by regional director Joelle Casteix, “We applaud Hastings-area law enforcement for thoroughly investigating [Hoefgen], as well as the sex abuse and cover-up documents in his secret personnel file.”

The group added that if those allegedly abused by Hoefgen had not stepped forward, the public may have never learned the extent of the cleric’s crimes. In fact, he would probably still be working with vulnerable children.”

Hoefgen’s alleged abuses, dating to the early 1980s and stretching into the 1990s, were outlined in a lawsuit filed in Dakota County by St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson in November against a Maryland treatment center for abusive priests, the Twin Cities diocese and St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.

According to the complaint:

Hoefgen admitted to police in Cold Spring roughly 30 years ago that he sexually abused a 17-year-old boy while assigned to St. Boniface of Cold Spring in 1983. In 1984, Hoefgen was sent to St. Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md., and stayed for about six months.

In July 1985, Hoefgen was assigned to St. Boniface in Hastings, which merged with Guardian Angels parish in 1987 to become St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The suit alleges that the institute, St. John’s Abbey and the Twin Cities archdiocese concealed Hoefgen’s past abuse and failed to warn parents in Hastings.

Despite Hoefgen’s admission, the Cold Spring case did not result in criminal charges. “I’m not persuaded that the interests of justice require further prosecution in this matter,” a Stearns County prosecutor wrote in 1986, according to an internal memo.

Less than a year after returning to Minnesota, Hoefgen was assigned to St. Boniface in Hastings. According to the suit, he began abusing a boy in the parish in 1989 and continued abusing him for years afterward. The alleged abuse was not reported to police at that time.

Anderson had also sued the priest in 1992 in connection with the Cold Spring case, alleging that Hoefgen molested the boy at least four times after allowing the teen to move into the parish house. The boy was having difficulty living at home and had attempted suicide, the suit read.

In 2002, the abbey released an apology from Hoefgen for his acts in Cold Spring that said he was sorry for “the incredible pain I have caused.”

Along with his duties in Cold Spring and Hastings, Hoefgen had also ministered at the Villa Maria Retreat and Conference Center in Frontenac, Minn.

He was removed from ministry in 2002 and left the St. John’s Benedictine order in 2012, the Twin Cities diocese said.

]]>http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-hastings-priest-charged-with-raping-altar-boy-for-years/feed/0Former St. John’s Abbey monk accused of abusing boyhttp://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-st-johns-abbey-monk-accused-of-abusing-boy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=former-st-johns-abbey-monk-accused-of-abusing-boy
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/former-st-johns-abbey-monk-accused-of-abusing-boy/#commentsWed, 21 May 2014 22:34:43 +0000http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=8555Continue reading →]]>(SC Times) A former St. John’s Abbey monk who then served St. Cloud diocese as a priest was charged Wednesday in Dakota County, accused of sexually abusing an altar boy in Hastings.

Fran Hoefgen is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He is accused of abusing the boy from the spring of 1989 to the fall of 1991, according to a court complaint. The boy was an altar boy at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Hastings, where Hoefgen was a priest.

The alleged victim told police in November that Hoefgen sexually abused him “on several occasions over an extended period of time,” according to the court complaint.

Hoefgen was arrested Tuesday and was ordered held in lieu of $150,000 bail without conditions or $25,000 with several conditions, including not having any contact with the alleged victim. Hoefgen posted the lower bail and was released.

Hoefgen, 63, is a defendant in a lawsuit filed in November that accuses Hoefgen’s religious superiors of assigning Hoefgen to Hastings after they knew he had sexually abused a boy in Cold Spring.

Hoefgen admitted in March 1984 that he had sexually abused a boy in the St. Boniface parish residence in Cold Spring. Hoefgen was sent to St. Luke Institute in Maryland for evaluation and treatment but was not charged with a crime in Stearns County.

The abuse that Hoefgen perpetrated on the Cold Spring boy was reported to police, who took statements from the victim and from Hoefgen. The case was sent to the Stearns County Attorney’s Office for a decision on whether to charge Hoefgen.

But within a few days, St. Luke Institute had made a “strong recommendation” that Hoefgen come to Maryland for treatment. Hoefgen was sent there three days after giving a statement to police in which he admitted sexually abusing the Cold Spring boy.

The Stearns County Attorney’s Office in 1986 declined to file criminal charges against Hoefgen, saying that the statutes at the time didn’t fit the circumstances of what Hoefgen did. A letter declining to press charges also indicated that the county attorney’s office had been “reliably informed” that “concerns for (Hoefgen’s) further contact with young persons has been identified and dealt with in an appropriate manner.”

Hoefgen was removed from the priesthood in 2011. He had been placed on restriction by the abbey in 2002 after it received credible allegations against him of sexual misconduct.